Apply for a House
The following options are available to people wishing to apply for Cloch HA accommodation:
Housing List
Transfers
Exchanges
Nominations
Move UK
Shared Ownership
To apply for a house download our application form.
HOUSING LIST EXPLAINED
The Association's priority is to house people most in need of accommodation. To enable the Association to do this various factors affecting the Applicant have been defined to measure Housing Need.
Factors or categories of housing need are reflected by points totals which will determine an applicants priority on the Housing List.
Applicants applying to all lists are matched to housing depending on apartment size, floor level, and any special needs requirement. Applicants who are in Housing Need will be placed on the Housing Register for the particular house size they need in points order.
The Housing Register is subdivided into registers covering number of bedrooms required and housing need categories as follows:-
General Needs Housing
Wheelchair/Disabled Housing
Amenity Housing
The Association now shares a “Joint Application Form” with two other local Housing Associations (Larkfield HA and Oak Tree HA) allowing you to apply to all three with one form.
Transfers
WHO CAN APPLY?
Requests for transfers from tenants in new build or improved properties will be sub-divided as follows:-
NEEDS BASED TRANSFERS
Tenants can apply for a transfer to another suitably sized flat within our housing stock. Your application will be considered in line with the Association's transfer policy. Transfer points are only awarded for housing need. Usually transfers are only considered once you have been in your present home for one year and applicant's rent account should not be showing an arrears balance.
Needs based transfers cover tenants requesting to move as a result of housing need; housing need being defined as overcrowding or under-occupation in the present house or an exceptional medical condition which is directly affected by the present housing and which is supported by a medical certificate.
Transfer applicants in Housing Need will be placed on the Transfer List for the particular house size they need in points order as set out in the Association's Allocations Policy.
ASPITRATIONAL HOUSING
A small quota of Allocations will be allowed each year for tenants requesting a transfer to the same size of house but having no housing need (no confirmed medical need and/or overcrowding or under-occupation) who wish to move to a different house type or area.
These applicants will:-
- Be outwith the points system
- Be held on a register in date of application, and house size order
- Apply only to one and two bedroom properties (at present there are not enough three bedroom properties to justify allocating vacancies to non housing need categories)
- Be subject to a quota of not more than 5% of the general transfer quota.
In the event of similar applications for a particular vacancy having the same date of application the Housing Manager will determine the priority between the applicants.
Priority will be determined taking into account:-
- The length of the Applicant's current tenancy
- Their current housing circumstances
- The household composition (ages of children, elderly applicants, etc.)
- The reasons for moving put down in the application
- And the appropriateness of the vacant property for each applicant.
The Housing Services Manager will determine the appropriate category for a transfer application and whether or not the above quota will apply for an allocation should there be any confusion or dispute over a decision. This does not override the tenant's right of appeal as set out in the Association's Allocations Policy.
Exchanges
MUTUAL EXCHANGES EXPLAINED
Tenancy exchanges will be considered between tenants of Cloch Housing Association, Inverclyde Council, Scottish Homes, other housing associations, private landlords and nationally, landlords participating in the HOMESWAP scheme.
Tenants of Cloch Housing Association must have resided in their present dwelling for at least one year before an application will be considered. Exchanges within properties awaiting development are not permitted. All incoming applicants must meet the criteria for application to the housing register set out in the Association's Allocations Policy.
Incoming applicants should not overcrowd or under-occupy the Association property which is the subject of the mutual exchange. The property should be appropriate to the incoming tenant's requirements (e.g. a sheltered or amenity or adapted property would normally be let to a tenant in need of that kind of property).
Applicants must have a valid reason for moving, must have a clear rent account, their existing house must be in a clean and tidy condition and have had a satisfactory tenancy reference. "Three-way" plus exchanges will be considered at the discretion of the Association.
Requests for exchanges that do not meet the above criteria may be considered at the discretion of the Housing Manager in consultation with the Director and if approved subsequently reported to the Housing Sub-committee.
Tenants of Cloch HA wishing to exchange must complete the relevant forms for the Association's Housing Section (you may also have to complete forms for the other applicant(s) landlord) before a Mutual Exchange will be considered.
Nominations
INVERCLYDE COUNCIL NOMINATIONS EXPLAINED
Inverclyde Council is invited to nominate for 50% of the Association's net lettings. Net lettings will not include internal transfers/direct moves, decants, mutual exchanges, assignations and successions. This category will also cover the separate Nominations Agreements that may apply to specific developments and/or regeneration areas (such as in the Whinhill and Gibshill regeneration areas).
In order to be nominated to the Association you must have an active application with Inverclyde Council's Allocations Section and you must have chosen Cloch HA nominations areas as an area of choice on your application.
Nominations will be accepted in accordance with the Nominations Agreement approved by both parties (Cloch HA and nominating authority/organisation). Communities Scotland Guidance and Scottish Offices Good Practice Notes set out the standards to be covered in a nominations agreement with a local authority. Care in the Community and supported tenancy nominations/referrals from teams managed by or operating with the Social Work Department will also be considered as part of the above nominations agreement. The Association has in the past accepted nominations from the following local authority / health board teams:-
This list is not prescriptive and the Association will consider all referrals on their individual merits as well as part of a separate Nominations Agreement.
OTHER NOMINATIONS
The Association will also consider nominations / referrals from other agencies as approved by the Housing Management Sub-Committee from time to time. To date the Association has agreed to accept nominations from:
- Key Housing Association
- Women's Aid
- The Richmond Fellowship
- Community Mental Health Team
- Child & Family Team
- Occupational Therapy Team
- Criminal Justice Team
- Social Work
- Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust - Brain Injuries Unit Health Teams
A quota for "other nomination" categories is agreed at the start of each financial year; which may be amended through the following year as appropriate.
Quotas and Priorities will be reviewed annually.
Move UK
Move UK NOMINATIONS EXPLAINED
moveUK (previously HOMES) NOMINATIONS EXPLAINED
***Please note that the MoveUK is currently suspended the undernoted is for information only ***
If you would like to move to an area out-with your local authority boundary you may apply to be considered for rehousing under the moveUK nomination scheme.
The Association participates in and will publicise the National moveUK Mobility Scheme (as well as the National HOMESWAP Mobility Scheme - see below) and will accept referrals from or make referrals to other housing associations, co-operatives and local authorities that participate in the moveUK scheme.
The minimum criteria for being accepted onto the moveUK Mobility Scheme are:-
- Taking up employment beyond reasonable daily travel distance.
- Receiving support.
- Giving support.
- Urgent social reasons (e.g. fleeing violence or harassment).
Scottish Homes (now The Scottish Housing Regulator) guidance note 93/23 or subsequent sets out minimum standards in respect of Mobility Schemes. Housing Associations have to participate in, and promote, mobility schemes run by moveUK.
Cloch Housing Association has a target of 4% of net lettings (after internal transfers, direct moves, decants and local authority nominations) to be given to mobility applicants.
moveUK nominations will be considered in accordance with both Communities Scotland and moveUK guidance and regulations.
If you would like to apply for rehousing under the moveUK mobility scheme please contact your landlord in order to complete the relevant documentation.
HOMESWAP
HOMESWAP is the national scheme which allows tenants to exchange with other tenants out-with their local authority boundary. We are waiting on details of the new Scheme.
Tenancy exchanges will be considered between tenants of Cloch Housing Association and landlords participating in the HOMESWAP scheme.
All incoming applicants must meet the criteria for application to the housing register set out in the Associations Allocations Policy. Incoming applicants should not overcrowd or under-occupy the Association property which is the subject of the HOMESWAP exchange. The property should be appropriate to the incoming tenant's requirements (e.g. a sheltered or amenity or adapted property would normally be let to a tenant in need of that kind of property).
Requests for HOMESWAP exchanges that do not meet the above criteria may be considered at the discretion of the Housing Manager in consultation with the Director and if approved subsequently reported to the Housing Services Sub-committee.
If you would like to be considered for a HOMESWAP exchange you must register for the scheme. Your landlord will consider your application before contacting the landlord in the area you wish to move to.
For more information or to discuss any of the above please contact a member of the Housing Services Section.
Shared Ownership
The Association currently has 20 shared ownership units throughout the Inverclyde area.
What is shared ownership?
Shared Ownership is a form of low cost home ownership which enables you to buy a house in stages, if you cannot afford to buy a property outright. A discounted occupancy payment is then paid on the remaining share that you do not buy.
Normally, you would initially purchase a 25% or 50% share and then (while renting the ramining 75% or 50%), subsequently you have the opportunity to purchase additional 25% shares after a one year period has elapsed from the original purchase. In this way shared ownership allows you to increase your ownership, over a period of time, until outright ownership is attained, if desired. This process is referred to as “tranching”. Each tranching step will automatically reduce the amount of occupancy charge proportionately.
If you are interested in Shared Ownership and would like more information please contact us.